A pizza speakeasy with Italian craft beer

If you find yourself in Little Italy, avoid the tourists and the "Fughettaboutit" shirt-laden street level, and head directly to this new pizza speakeasy (that's right, a pizza speakeasy) from a brotherly team whose grandma started the restaurant downstairs and still lives in the building (and probably pays way less rent than you), and who also co-own Slide

The entrance is located on the side of the building housing the family restaurant Giovanna's, and at night you'll notice a clipboarded doorman guarding this gilded, Illuminati-esque elevator

Which is the only way for you to access the second floor

You'll be dumped right out into this sliver overlooking the hustle and bustle of losers who don't know about secret second-floor pizza spots

The oven roars at 1000 degrees, utilizing cherrywood "for scent" and oak to get a good burn

The oven is manned by Salvatore Olivella (L'asso, Numero 28, Vinny Vincenz Pizza Truck...), who -- for the sake of extreme quality control -- will make every single thing you'll ever eat here. Literally, he makes everything

While their traditional pies are great, you'd be wise to lean towards unconventional creations like this volcanically named Vesuviana, which's half calzone and half any pizza on the menu

Fried pizza? Fried pizza!! This one's topped with just a bit of scamorza and sauce

The monstrous oblong creations the chef has become known for feed five and're loaded with multiple 'zas' worth of toppings. Here's one with 1/3 Gorgonzola, pear, walnuts, and honey, 1/3 house-made fior di latte, basil, and hot capocollo, and 1/3 prosciutto di San Daniele, arugula, and basil

It looks like some sort of awesome Italian quesadilla, but this is actually the truffley-as-hell Piadina Romagnola flatbread loaded with shredded parm and prosciutto

If you thought a pizza speakeasy wouldn't have prosciutto, pesto, and housemade mozz sushi, you would be extremely wrong

Dessert is pizzafied and topped with Nutella, walnuts, and sliced bananas

It's also deep-fry-ified to create zeppoli dusted with powdered sugar

Definitely do not underestimate their brew program. Domestic crafts are aided by some rarer Italian numbers like Almond 22 Pink brewed with pink peppercorns, and the aficionado-friendly Loverbeer D'uva, a wine/beer hybrid that's got the "funk like a Bordeaux", proving you've gotta gotta get up (to the second floor) to get down.

If you find yourself in Little Italy, head directly to this new pizza speakeasy (that's right, a pizza speakeasy) from a brotherly team who are serving authentic pies baked in an oven that reaches 1000 degrees. From fried pizza, a half pizza/half calzone deal, and prosciutto, pesto, and housemade mozz sushi-- they've got it all.